Hip-hop in rural Maine’s music scene? Why not

It’s established that we’ve got a metal scene in this part of Maine. We’ve got an emo scene, too, and as with death and taxes, you can always count on a surplus of jam bands.

But what about hip-hop?

For a style of music and a culture that’s so urban, rural Maine is not exactly fertile ground for breeding rappers and DJs. Sure, step onto any dance floor in the area and you’re bound to hear Li’l Jon and Ludacris. But homegrown talent is another thing, and live hip-hop is almost out of the question.

Fortunately Bangor-based Sean Smith and TJ Jozefowicz of Queen City Productions and Flophouse Records are out to change that – and so far, they’ve had a string of successes.

“My dad was in the military, so I’d go all over the country with him. I would just soak up all the hip-hop culture in places like Atlanta and then bring it back to Maine with me,” said Smith, who grew up in Levant and graduated from Husson College. “It was something I really longed for. I missed it when I didn’t have it.”

As Smith was finishing up at Husson in 2003, he founded Queen City Productions in response to what he felt was a negative opinion toward hip-hop in Greater Bangor.

“I had friends doing hip-hop in the area and it wasn’t progressing,” he said. “A few years back, when Method Man and Fat Joe didn’t even show up when they were supposed to play [in Orono], I think that made people have a sour taste in their mouth for hip-hop. I wanted to show the community that it could be done.”

Early successes for Queen City, such as sellout shows for rapper Talib Kweli and DJ Roy Barboza, allowed Smith to continue booking shows in the area – most recently, rappers Killah Priest, Juelz Santana and Papoose.

Jozefowicz was following a similar track with his own Flophouse Records.

“I’ve been putting out mix tapes since 1998. I’d pass out 20 or 30 copies,” he said. “But it wasn’t until this year that I really decided to get serious about Flophouse and make it a business.”

Jozefowicz and Smith have known each other for years, so it was only natural that they’d combine forces. Smith handles publicity and books all the shows, while Jozefowicz takes care of the creative aspect. Currently the duo is working on bringing a major hip-hop artist to Orono nightclub Ushuaia in November, and they’ve released a series of mix tapes by DJ Calibur and albums by two local artists, Boss and Affiliate.

“Boss is kind of a conscious rapper,” said Smith. “A cat from Boston can enjoy him, and so can a cat from Levant.”

Boss’ album “Finding Boss” came out last month and features literate, intelligent rhymes, displayed most prominently on unofficial single “Ayah,” an ode to Mainers of every stripe.

Affiliate, a Boston native who attends UMaine, has both Smith and Jozefowicz excited.

“We’ve got a diamond in the rough with him,” said Smith. “He really blew up at our show with Papoose. He’s got a really live stage presence.”

“Trash Bag Money,” Affiliate’s debut album, will be released on Flophouse in coming weeks. Meanwhile, Smith and Jozefowicz are keeping very, very busy.

“No one was doing hip-hop shows around here a few years ago, but we’re trying to bring it back,” said Smith. “I fell on the way – I had some shows that were flops. But I also had some home runs, and we’re not gonna take anymore flops. We’ve got an audience that’s hungry for hip-hop, and we’re going to present it in a positive and correct manner. We’re trying to foster a scene.”

For information, visit www.myspace.com/flophouserecords and www.myspace.com/queencity. Emily Burnham can be reached at eburnham@bangordailynews.net.

Supporting acts

The Gilpin Railroad Incident is busy finishing up its first album at The Studio in Portland and is set to play at Marlintini’s in Blue Hill at 9 Saturday night.

Tonight, however, go to the Kave in Bucksport and check out some punk and hard-core bands, including Outbreak, the Leftovers, Cruel Hand, Wake Up Call and Portland’s finest spaz rockers, Covered in Bees. The show starts at 5 p.m. and tickets are $8.

If that’s not your style, the Camden International Film Festival will be held Sept. 28 through Oct. 1, and in addition to fantastic independent movies, you can check out a free performance by Boston’s atmospheric art-rock band Victory at Sea at 10 tonight at the Strand Theatre in Rockland. For information, check out www.camdenfilmfest.org.